Cranking device for automobile-engines.



D. AUGUSTINE. GRANKING DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILE ENGINES.

APPLIOATION FILED SEPT. 13, 1909.

, Patented Nov. 22, 1910.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID AUGUSTINE, OF SOUTH BEND, INDIANA.

CRANKING DEVICE FOR AUTOMOBILE-ENGINES.

Applica ion filed .September 13, 1909. Serial No. 517,415.

.- to the operator occasioned in getting out 'of the machine in order to crank the engine.

Another object resides in the provisionof a comparatively simple, inexpensive, durable and efiicient device operable from the seat of the vehicle to crank the engine for starting purposes.

\Vith the-above and other objects in view, the present invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, itbeing understood that changes may be made in the form, proportion, size and minor details .without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings :Figure 1 is ,a side .elevation of the body of an automobile illustrating my invention applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the inventionapplied to an automobile body. Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail plan View of the clutch mechanism. Fig. 4 is an enlarged side elevation of the cranking lever mounted upon one of the members of the clutch mechanism.

Referring now more particularly to the accompanying drawings, the reference character 1 indicates the body of an automobile or other vehicle provided with the usual steering wheel 2, there being journaled transversely of the body a crank shaft 3.

which I has -operative connection with the en no, the crank shaft being reduced at one en to form a shoulder, which is notched to provide teeth forming a clutch face 4, with which latter cooperates the clutch face 5 of a sleeve 6, 'slidably'mounted upon the re I duced end of the shaft 3.

, ,The character 7 indicates a crank lever whose arms 8 and 9 are in the form of straps adapted to embrace the sleeve 6 of the clutch mechanism, the arm 8 being pref- Specification of Letters Patent. Patented N av. 22, 1910.

erably shorter than the arm 9, but in any event the; two arms are held in frictional" contact with the sleeve 6 by the adjusting bolt 10, whereby just sufficient frictio'na contact is permitted between the cranklever and'the sleeve as to turn thecrank shaft forward, upon a downward movement of the cranklever, but in the event of a back fire, resulting in a reversal of the engine, which sometimes happens, and which causes many accidents and injury to persons and the machinery, the crank lever will strike an v obstruction, on the machine, hereinafter described, and the frictional contact between the crank lever and the sleeve, not being sufiicient to overcome the power. .of the engine, the sleeve would turn with the crank shaft while the lever would remain stationary.

When the crank lever 7 is in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2, the clutch face 5 is held out of contact with the clutch face 4.. on the crank shaft by means of obstructions or stops 11 and 12, the former being secured in any suitable manner to the body 1 of'the vehicle, and the latter being secured to the bracket 14. The stops 11' and 12 are preferably spring arms and adapted to yield so as to frictionally hold the crank lever in its forward position, the outer ends of said arms being curved outwardlyso as to faciliv tate engagement therewith of the crank shaft. The lower stop 11 has operative engagement with the lower end of the arm 9 of theicrank lever 7, while the upper stop 12 has engagement with theupper end of the crank lever, the contact between the lever and stops taking place as the lever reaches its extreme forward throw, always resulting in an automatic shifting of the sleeve 6 outwardlyfrom the crank shaftat the end of each forward throw of the cranking lever. Just as soon as the crank lever isthrown backwardly and out of engagement with the stops,j'the clutch facest and 5 clutch automatically by virtue of the spring 13 between the sleeve 6 and the aforesaid bracket 14 se cured at 15 to the body-of the vehicle and held upon the reduced end of the crank shaft 3 by means of a nut 16.

To crank the engine without the necessity of the operator leaving the seat of the vehicle, the operator has simply towork the crank lever 7 back and forth in order to crank the engine, the clutch mechanism being thrown into and out of operation automatically.

The device is illustrated only in connection'with a machine that cranks from the side, but itis obvious that the samemay also be applied to machines that crank in front, by adding a connectionoperable from the seat, the automatic throwing in and out of the clutch mechanism renderlng this pos-' sible. It is deemed unnecessary to illustrate the application of the device to vehicles that crank in front rather than on the side, :as in.

1 the present instance.

What 1s claimed is 1. In a cranking device, a vehicle body, a crank shaft, a clutch mechanism on the crankshaft, a bracket having connection with the vehiclebody and the crank shaft, a spring stop secured to the body, a second spring stop secured to said bracket, a crank lever having operative'engagement with the clutch'mechanism, both of said stops being disposed in the path of movement of the crank lever to effect an automatic release" of the clutch mechanism when the crank-lever is brought into contact with the said stops, and a spring interposedbetween the bracket and the clutch mechanism to throw the latter into operation when the crank lever is out .of contact with said stops.

2. In a cranking device, a vehicle body, a on thecrankshaft, a bracket having connection with the crank shaft, a clutch mechanism vehicle body and the crank shaft, a spring stop secured to the body, a second spring stop secured to said bracket, a crank lever having operativeengagement with the clutch mechanism, both of said stops being'disposed in the path of movement of the crank lever to effect an automatic release of the clutch mechanism when the crank-lever" is brought.

- into contact with the said'stops, and means crank shaft, a clutch mechanism on the crank constructed andarranged to throw the clutch mechanism into operation when the crank lever is out of contact with said stops.

' 3. In a cranking device, a vehicle body, a

shaft, a bracket having connection with the vehicle body and the crank shaft, 'a stop secured to the body, a second stop secured to said bracket, a crank lever having operative engagement with the clutchmechanism, and

both, of said stops being disposed in the path of movement of the crank lever to effect an automatic release of theclutch mech anismwhen the crank lever ism-ought into contact with the stops, and a spring interposed between the bracket and the clutch contactwith saidstops.

mechanism to throw the clutch mechanism 1nto operation when the crank lever is out of 4 a cranking device, a vehicle body, a

of the crank shaft and provided with'a clutch face forv coiiperation-with the aforetive engagement with said sleeve, an means automatic separation of the clutch faces.

5. In a cranking device, crank shaft reduced at one end and shouldered and notched to providea clutch face, a sleeve slidably mountedon' thereduced end of the crank shaft and provided with a clutch face for cooperation with .the aforesaid clutch face, a crank lever'having operative engagement with saidsleeve, stops disposed in the path of movement of the crank 4 lever to effect a separation of, theclutch faces when the lever is brought into engage-' ment with said stops, and a spring having when the crank lever is brought into contact withthe stops, and means constructed and arranged to throw the clutch mechanism into operation when the crank lever is out of contact with said stops. 7 7. In a cranking device for automobiles. or other vehicles, a crank shaft, a clutch mechanism on the crank shaft, a crank lever having operative engagement with the clutch egect an automatic release of the clutch mec anism crank shaft reduced at one end and shouldered and notched to provide a'clutch face, a sleeve slidably mounted on the reduced end said clutch face, a crank lever havin operacooperating 'withthecrank lever to effect an alvehicle body, a

engagement with sand sleeve to effect anaumechanism, and stops disposed in the path of movement of the crank lever to engage opposite ends thereof and effect an automatic release of the clutch mechanism when the crank lever is brought into contact with said stops.

' 8. In a cranking device for automobiles or other vehicles, a crank shaft, a clutch mechanism on the crank shaft, a crank lever having operative engagement with the clutch of movement 'of the crank lever for frictional enga ementwith opposite ends of the clutch mechanism when the crank brought into contact with the stops 9. n a cranking device for automoblles or lever is a clutch mechanism on the crank shaft inpludingjt fslidable sleevg, a crank lever havmechanism, and; stops disposed in the path latter to e eat an automatic release of the other vehicles, a'vehicle body, a crank shaft,

in connection with said .slidable sleeve, to Shlift tllile latzer 1:md afllso 1to IIIIIOVG ilndependentytereo went ecutc mec anismis v v q in operative condition, and stops disposed in l 1 DAVID AUGUSTINE" the path of movement of the crank lever to Witnesses:

efi'ect an automatic release of the clutch GEORGE OLTSGH,

mechanism. G. M. Conn.

in presence of two witnesses.

i testiI nony whereof I affix my signature, 

